Android upgrade ... help ... lost internet page shortcuts

[Carol Haynes]

Samsung kindly just upgraded my tablet.

In the process they cleared my Home Screen apart from the standard icins.

I can easily restore my apps but it is particularly annoying that I had a second screen of useful internet shortcuts (which weren't in the shorcuts in my browser). Some are relatively old and unlikeky to be in my browser history.

Anyone got any idea if it is possible to recover these webpage shortcuts?

[Ath]

I've seen similar things happen when upgrading my Sony Xperia telephone. Feels like the default storage location for the home screen is changed in some way. A next upgrade, a few months later, made the same thing happen, but seemed to restore the old storage location (some old shortcuts returned...)
Maybe this is related?

Didn't find a solution though, those storage locations, if preserved at all, are in an area only available with root access, and to enable root access you seem to have to wipe all settings first. Ergo: No dice, no cigar 

[Carol Haynes]

Oh bum! Thanks for the info though. How annoying. They could at least warn you!

[x16wda]

Whenever I have a link I think I might want to look at again, I just email it to my Gmail account. That way I can find it later, plus it makes it easier for both Google and the NSA to find out what I'm up to easily. (Not like there's any way to prevent either from happening!  )

[4wd]

Would it be worth it to just turn off OTA updates?

Then check manually or wait for notification of an update.

[Deozaan]

You could also use something like Titanium Backup (requires root) to make backups of your Launcher app, which in theory should include widgets and other shortcuts.

This won't help you get back your lost icons, but it could help prevent loss in the future.

[Carol Haynes]

I have a simpler solution - if I want a link on the home page I add it to a bookmarks folder too!

[xtabber]

I have a simpler solution - if I want a link on the home page I add it to a bookmarks folder too!

Old IT saying: if data isn't stored in at least three different locations, it doesn't really exist.

Translation to your situation: keep a copy off your device somewhere as well, or you may find yourself in the same situation again.

[Carol Haynes]

[Deozaan]

Old IT saying: if data isn't stored in at least three different locations, it doesn't really exist.

Translation to your situation: keep a copy off your device somewhere as well, or you may find yourself in the same situation again.

I've heard it similarly said:

"Two is one; one is none."

Translation: If you only have one of something, Murphy's Law dictates it will break down (get lost/destroyed, etc.) at just the wrong moment and then you won't have any of that something. So be prepared and have a backup so that when one breaks, you still have one.

[4wd]

I've heard it similarly said:

"Two is one; one is none."

Translation: If you only have one of something, Murphy's Law dictates it will break down (get lost/destroyed, etc.) at just the wrong moment and then you won't have any of that something. So be prepared and have a backup so that when one breaks, you still have one.

Except since you now only have one copy Murphy's Law will kick in again and your backup will be toast.

Always have more than one backup.